


Realisation

by witchee_writer



Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, Friendship, Gen, Grief/Mourning, I love them okay, Post-Series, Pre-Relationship, They're the cutest, mentions of Shikamaru/Temari
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-17 19:27:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29105547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/witchee_writer/pseuds/witchee_writer
Summary: Shikamaru has always been the one to chase after Ino when she was upset, even now they're all grown up. He hadn't realised what that meant, not back then, when they were young and things were easy. He wished he had, it would have been easier.
Relationships: Nara Shikamaru/Yamanaka Ino
Comments: 1
Kudos: 34





	Realisation

**Author's Note:**

> The minor details of this might be very sketchy since I haven't read Naruto in years and the end is a bit of a blur for me. But Shikamaru/Ino was one of my favourite pairings, I just thought they would have worked together (and I still think that). I was in the mood to write a little thing so I wrote a little thing. Enjoy!

One year. 

It had been one year since his father had been killed (and so many others). It didn't feel like it had been a year, there had been so much to do after the war. Shikamaru wished he could have retreated into some quiet corner, smoked to his heart's content, watched the clouds float by like he did when he was younger. It was easier to escape then, there was so much more expected of him now. 

He didn't want this, never asked for it. He would have been happy enough being a mid-level ninja, not bad, but not all that good either. But so much had happened, and it wasn't as if he could say no when the Hokage asked him to do this, to do that (he tried anyway, and it usually resulted in Tsunade yelling or throwing things). 

He sighed. 

The memorial was a small one, just family. Nara, Akimichi, Yamanaka, those that mattered. Shikamaru wished his eyes didn't drift to Ino as much as they did. He hadn't seen as much of her in the last year as he was used too (when he was younger, he might have been glad for it but now it just felt strange). They'd both been too busy, between their clans and everything else. Shikamaru had been seeing Temari too, though he hadn't seen her in months and neither of them seemed inclined to remedy that.

Ino glanced around, and slipped away from the memorial quietly. Shikamaru wasn't surprised, he had been waiting for it. She had mourned her father after the war, but not as much as he had expected her too. Shikamaru and Chouji had waited patiently for the break down, but Ino had thrown herself into work and the village, she hardly seemed to stop. She seemed fine, she seemed like she had been moving on, but something about it had always seemed off. She had shouldered enough pressure from her Clan before Inoichi had been killed. There was no male heir, everything (and more) had fallen to her. She'd had to prove herself, she still did. He had heard enough from their mother's gossiping, Mrs. Yamanaka lamenting the lack of marriage prospects for her daughter (like Ino couldn't get any ninja she damn well wanted- Sasuke Uchiha excluded). 

Chouji elbowed him in the ribs and Shikamaru sighed. 

Someone had to go after her, they'd been waiting for this after all. It was all just so much effort, it had been a while since he had seen Ino cry. He wasn't entirely sure he was ready to see it again. But someone had to go and- well- ever since they were little, it had always been Shikamaru. Chouji would scold him, tell him to go after her when she ran off crying and Shikamaru did as he was told every time. 

Nothing had changed in that regard. 

Shikamaru wandered in the direction she had gone, his hands in his pockets. He knew by instinct where she was headed after a few minutes. The flower shop was closed, but a few bouquets had been left outside (for Inoichi). They were untouched, and Shikamaru stepped around them, carefully. The last thing he wanted to do was face Ino's wrath on top of it all. She was hard to predict at the best of times, and Shikamaru had to mentally steel himself. It felt like he was going into battle, but he couldn't bring himself to regret it when he saw her. 

Ino had curled up in the far corner of the shop, her eyes red, her cheeks wet. He had been waiting for the break down and there she was, in pieces in front of him. 

He hated it, couldn't stand to see her so sad and broken. He had never liked it, had hated seeing her fawn over Sasuke Uchiha when he couldn't have cared less, hated seeing her feel inferior to Sakura. Ino was trouble, always had been, but he had known her his entire life, she was one of his best friends, and if he could do something (no matter how much effort it was) he would.

"Ino..." said Shikamaru, gently, kneeling in front of her. 

She threw herself at him, knocking them both over and Shikamaru groaned at the added weight. Her arms had wound around his waist, her head buried against his shoulder. 

"Troublesome woman," he muttered, even as he held her close, as he ran a hand through her hair. It was even longer then when they were younger and he knew it was her, not the shop, that smelled like flowers. Ino always smelt like flowers, and a part of him wished he didn't know that. 

"I miss him," Ino whispered. 

Shikamaru winced, "I know." He shifted them, moved Ino so that she sat in his lap and both of them were a little more comfortable. It didn't feel awkward, it never did. It was Ino, he had known her for as long as he could remember. Loud and bright (and beautiful). It was Ino, and holding her had never felt wrong, it had just felt right. He had almost forgotten, they had both been so busy and Ino hadn't needed him as much as she used too. But this- as much as he hated to see her cry, to see her sad, felt right. Holding her, comforting her, it just felt normal. 

The realisation had his eyes widening, his hands freezing.

If her dad were here to see this, he would literally chase him through the streets (while their mothers held a celebration, because he wasn't an idiot, they had always hoped). 

"Shika?" Ino sniffed, pulled back enough to look at him. 

He tried not to look as panicked as he felt but Ino could read him like a book. She didn't need to deal with this now, he didn't want to deal with this now. Shikamaru just forced a lazy smile to his face, brushed the tears from her cheeks. "I'm good, you?" 

She smiled, weakly (he hated that too). "Better." 

Shikamaru wouldn't be able to avoid this. A part of him wanted too, but now that he knew, now that he felt it, he couldn't go back. Ino was his teammate, his childhood friend, his best friend, but Shikamaru wanted more. 

Shit. 

It made him miss his dad, because he could have spoken to him about this (used him as a shield against Inoichi). But they were alone in this, and Shikamaru could see all the possible scenarios play out in his mind (both good and bad). He didn't want to risk their friendship but- but he also really did. 

"I think I'm going to break up with Temari," he said, suddenly. Shikamaru cursed himself, but Ino seemed to perk up with interest. She did enjoy a distraction (and gossip). If there was anything else to it then Shikamaru tried not to think about it.

"Oh?" Ino tilted her head to the side, studying him. "I thought you two were going so well!" 

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow, "Ino, I haven't seen her in months." 

"Don't you guys send messages?" 

"Not really." 

"Oh," said Ino. A sly look crossed her face, her blue eyes gleaming. "Your mum is going to be so mad." 

Shikamaru groaned, falling backwards. Ino yelped as he pulled her down with him. It was easier to look at the ceiling than her, but she didn't move, just curled against him. "Don't remind me... so troublesome." 

Ino laughed. 

Shikamaru felt like he had won some kind of prize. 

He was so screwed. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
